Self-locking cotter pin



Dec 11, 1928.

E. W. LANGTON ET AL SELF LOCKING COTTER PIN Filed June 15, 1927 PatentedDec. 11, 1928.

UNITED STATES.

EDMOND w. LANGTON Ann AARON e.

DAUSON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

SELF-LOCKING CUTTER PIN.

Application filed June 15,

The object of this invention is to provide. a cotter pin thatautomatically locks itself in place, thus obviating the necessity ofmanually bending one or both members to secure it, and also overcomingany careless" ness or inattention on the'part of the user to secure thecotter pin in place.

The invention consists of a cotter pin composed of two unlike butcomplemental parts, each part having a head at one end and a member atthe opposite end that interlocks with the other and serves to spread theparts after passing through the hole in which placed, and one part atits head end having an incline that tends to spread the head ends andthus insure the interlocking of the parts automatically when one part isarranged in the hole and the other part driven in along side it, as wewill proceed now to explain more fully and finally claim. 7

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is afrontelevation, Fig. 2 a side elevation and Fig. 3 a plan view, looking fromthe bottom upwardly, of one part-o1 the twopart cotter pin. Fig. i is aside elevation, Fig. 5 is a front elevation and Fig. 6 is a plan view,looking from the bottom upwardly, of the other part or the two-partcotter pin. Fig. 7. is an elevation, partly in sec-. tion, illustratingthe first steps in installing our twopart cotter pin. Fig. 8 is anelevation, partly in section, showing the two parts of the cotter pindriven home and as they will be used.

One part of the cotter pin, as shown in Figs. 1-3 and 7-8, comprises theshank 1 having the rearwardly' extending head 2. The leading end of theshank l is notched, as at 3, and the face of the head 2 is inclined, asindicated at 4, so as to standoff from the straight line of the shankbetween the'notch and the head so as'to impart a wedge action when thispartof the cotter pin is assembled in connection with the other part nowto be described. 7 p

The otherpart ofthe two-part cotter pin, as shown in Figs. 4143 and 7-8,comprises a shank 5 having a rearwardly extending head 6, and at itsleading-end the shank is provided with the inclined projection 7, whichis adapted to engage with the notch 3 of the other part, and therebyinconnection 1927. Serial No. 198,940.

with the incline llock the two gagement, as shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 7 and 8 illustrat-ethe use of the cotter pin on a pin or key orother article, designated 8, having a through hole 9. Fig.7 showsthecotter pin part'illustrated in Figs.- et, 5 and 6 inserted in thehole 9, while the cotter pin'part shown in Figs. 1 to 3, is showninserted, in the hole, but with its descent arrested by contact with theprojection 7. In such relation a hammer, or other tool or implement, isused on the head 2 to drive the notched part downwardlyvso as to causethe notched end to ride over the and then slip back underneath parts inon projection t the projection as indicated in Fig. 8 and look the twoparts together,with a suiiicient spreading of the lower ends of theshanks of both parts to of the cotter pin. In the driving home of thenotched part the incline 4 of its head will press against the head ofthe other part and thereby serve to crowd the two parts into engagementwith one another and with the hole 9, as indicated in Fig. 8.

It is obvious that under the spreading action described, thereis nopossibility of lost motion under firmly'locked and cannot workthemselves prevent accidental escape the head and the parts are outindependently or collectively. They can be removed only by using achisel or other implement to pry apart the ends of the cotter pin or bydestroying the cotter pin I itseli'.

Variations in details of-construction are permissible within theprinciple of the invention and the clalms following.

hat we claim is: I

l. A self-locking cotter pin, for use with p a part to be pinned havin ahole, said pin composed 0i two complemental parts, one part having a s1ank terminating atone end in a head and having atits other and leadingend a head andat its'other and leading end an inclinediprojectionextending toward'the clined projection and slipping back and end anotch, and the other part having at one underneath the inclinedprojection to effect an interlocking engagement of the two parts andspreading the leading ends of the two parts into fixed position in thehole.

2. A selfdocking cotter pin, for use with a part to be pinned having ahole, said pin composed of two complemental parts, one part having ashank terminating at one end in a head provided with an inclined faceand having at its other and leading end a notch, and the other parthaving at one end a head and at its other and leading end an inclinedprojection extending toward the notch, the part having the inclineprojection being inserted fully in the hole in the part to be pinned,and the part having the notch thereafter inserted in said hole with itsnotch facing the inclined projection on the other part and driven home,the notched part when so driven riding over the inclined projection andslipping back and underneath the inclined pro]ection to effect aninterlocking engagement of the two parts and spreading the leading endsof the two parts into fixed posit-ion in the hole, the inclined face ofthe head of the notched part pressing against the head of the other partand thereby serving to crowd the two parts into secure engagement withone another and with the hole. 7

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set pur hands this 14th day ofJune, A. I). 192

EDMOND W. LANGTON. AARON G. DAWSON.

